Up at 04:00 we did not sleep well knowing it was an early start and hoping the taxi would arrive. It did and Max the apartment owner rang to make sure we got the taxi. Max is a good guy helped us out a lot. We waited for the train on platform 4 and it arrived 5 minutes later we found our carriage #6. It was -3 C my big bag was carried on my back the lady conductor checked our passports and tickets. Penny got on first and I got her big bag up on to the train. Opened the door to the carriage we were hit by 25 C temperature my glasses fogged up and the aroma was ripe. I then realised we were in 3rd class. Those bloody numpties (2 woman ticket clerks) back in St Petersburg had us in 3rd class when I had it written in Russian 2nd class as there was no first class on this train.

Had to get the glasses off as I could not see.  It was very dark, feet sticking out from the bunks as we walked into the carriage numerous people snoring there were a lot of people in this carriage. We found our bunks we were in top 2 bunks I got our 2 main bags up on the storage shelf above the 2nd bunks followed by the our ruck sacks and big jackets. Boots off and I helped Penny up into her bunk and I followed suit in to mine. The 2 people below us who came on the train with us then sorted themselves out. Then the train departed for our 6 hour plus trip. I managed over an hour of sleep and laying in this bunk bought back memories being in saturation chambers. There was a rendition of the chain saw symphony carried out by numerous people in deep sleeps. Olga was up there with the best of them. Then a baby started crying, oh what a lovely place to be.

I was day light and the lady conductor for the carriage had converted a bottom bunk into a 2 seat and table configuration which was not used. I took one of the seats had my camera and Sudoku book. The scenery was similar to what we have seen in our travels so far. The snow was a meter deep in places and forest and then dachas in the middle of no where. I counted there were 54 people sleeping in our carriage hence the powerful aroma. There was a mixture of woman men old and young plus the baby. People were crawling out of their bunks by now preparing to get up or get off at our stop. Most were wearing undies and T shirts and most of them had English slogans written on them. People getting off at our stop had stripped their beds and handed the linen to the lady conductor. A guy sat across from me with a big bag of food containing coffee a 2 lb bag of sugar followed by a bread loaf filled with meat and vegetables. Got Penny down from her bunk just before we arrived at the station we loaded up with our gear and off we got.

There were baggage handlers with trolley and we decided to use him he pointed to a price on his trolley 150 roubles and we agreed. Have to go through xray machines with the bags collected them and he took us out in to the car park and said we must pay him 500 roubles I said no, offered him the 150 which he refused and we both started ranting in our native tongues. So I gave him 200 and told him to piss off in colourful language and Penny joined in as well she was not impressed with this guy. Found a taxi showed him the hotel address and he wanted 900 roubles I said 500 which is high and we settled at 500 roubles.

We had planned to go to Gulag 36 but it was a 4 hour journey by train and then a taxi to get there. We were tired last night Penny slept for 12 hours and I for 9 and to get the train need to be at the train station before 7 am. So we had a lazy morning and eventually got out of the apartment at 14:15 and walked around Perm covered 10 miles. They had the green and red walking routes we did the green and they had points of interest 37 on our route. Some of the route green lines were covered in ice and snow so made it interesting. We got to see the Kama River very wide and not covered in ice like it was in St Petersburg. I had Penny hanging on to me for most of the way as there was lots of black ice on the foot paths.

We have hopefully have a taxi booked for us at 04:45 by Max who owns this apartment as we have a train to catch going to Yekaterinburg at 05:40. So we will be leaving Russia Europe and Yekaterinburg is in Russia Asia. The train trip is over 4 hours long and no time zone changes.

Up before 07:00 Max the owner of the apartment gave us directions to the bus station when we arrived last night. It was still very dark got our bearings and found tram #5 two stops and a 10 minute walk. Got the tickets cost about £8 for the 2 of us and we waited for the 09:05 bus, the city has lots of snow laying and it is -4 C the paths are very slippery. There were a lot of old buses coming and going and our one was the best one we saw. Two hours later we arrive in Kungur. Found a taxi to take us to the Ice Caves 150 Roubles there is 85 R to the Pound. 

Paid our entrance fee and joined another Russian couple and our tour guide she only spoke Russian. I could see from Penelope Jane’s body language she was not that excited by the caves as they looked much better on the web site. We rated it 6-7/10 but it had to be done and that is why we stopped off at Perm. Took photos and got a taxi back to the bus station.  Penny had a Southern Fried chicken wrap said it was good. Thirty minutes later we are on a smaller bus back to Perm unfortunately it ended its journey not at the bus station we started off at, bummer. Find the main road trams and buses spoke to a Russian guy no speak English but I eventually get through to him where we need to go and join the bus with him. Got off at Dinamo Stadium now where to the apartment?? 90 minutes later we find it and stopped off at supermarket got food for dinner. The fruit department some of the fruit had passed the sell by date and some was rotting. Did the big clothes wash all drying on racks now time to chill and see about getting to Gulag 36 tomorrow.

Got a taxi to the train station from the apartment arranged by Tatyana cost Roubles 220 if you do it from a rank it cost so much more. Apparently, there are about 6 train stations in St Petersburg and 9 in Moscow. Found out carriage first class. There is an over the head storage locker for the bags we had to take some stuff out to squeeze them in there and the stuff went under the seat bunk. Got ourselves organised for the 33 hour journey. The train departed on time, this is not a fast train as we took just under 5 hours from Moscow to St P on the fast train and this leg took 9 hours with a few stops and waiting for fast trains to pass us. There was fences on either side of the tracks from St P to Moscow makes you wonder what they trying to keep out as a lot is in the middle of nowhere?

Went down to the restaurant carriage there were a bunch of guys from Kazakhstan one guy spoke a little English asked where I was from,I told him NZ and they all looked at me as what the hell are you doing in Russia in the snow and cold, must be loco and we all laughed. We ordered a salmon salad which did not arrive we got the beef stew and roasted pork then later a soup bowl of potato bits of beef and tomatoes was placed in front of me which I did not order but I ate it as I was still hungry. Not cheap 1750 roubles. I went to get some bottled water, they had displayed with other soft drinks and juices. I was told they were all fake and they did not have any drinks except Tuborg and Stella Artois beer. Luckily, I had just over a litre of water in our compartment. We got to Moscow with a 28-minute stop so I found a kiosk on the platform bought 4 litres of water a sandwich, crisps and Bounties and Snickers.

When we left St P it was snowing and it has not stopped 09:30 the next day. There was more snow in Moscow than St P. Went to bed around midnight had a double sheet to slide into and a blanket and 2 pillows was very comfortable got up at 08:30 and it is still snowing and the scenery is wooded areas covered in snow and see some small groups of dachas some people are living in them as you can see a light or smoke coming from the chimney. Makes you think why live out here in the middle of nowhere in these harsh conditions?We have the communal toilet next to our compartment not the most inspiring place to contemplate. There is no water to wash your hands but they do supply toilet paper. Luckily, I bought some wet wipes.

Stopped at Kirov for 20 minutes there was a team of rail workers using long pinch bars chipping away the ice from all the brake pads.Went over a bridge and there was a lake covered in ice great for some photos except a bloody goods train came the other way and they are long trains. Svetlana came in to our compartment dressed to clean wearing yellow gloves took away the carpet and washed the floor and threw the carpet back on the wet floor.All Penny could say I need a coffee, Penny she is not dressed for serving coffee.  Svetlana arrives back dressed as the hostess this time with a coffee but there is no milk now Penny is happy as long it has no sugar in it.Travelling this morning the main industry would have to be the rail line and timber there sure is a lot of trees.

Was not told about the clocks moving forward by 2 hours I had an inkling and the passage way clock said 22:10 and we were due at 22:30 in Perm it was a rapid get the bags and repack them. Got a taxi for 500 roubles fair enough price the driver found the apartment and he rang Max who met us at the door. Max showed us around the apartment and I asked him the way to get to Kungur Ice Caves 2 hours away plus to get us a taxi for when we leave at 05:00 on the 13^th.

Our last full day here and we walked again the only way to explore this beautiful city. Went to the Faberge Museum one room was for the Faberge Collection absolutely stunning each egg took a year to create. There were 9 eggs there, 10 are in the Kremlin in Moscow, 5 are in Virginia and 3 in the Royal Collection in London. The other rooms in the museum were quite good and interesting.

Carried on walking around the city ended up walking 9 miles. Some of the car driving around the city makes you wonder how many crashes a day? Saw and heard a few near misses. Watched an old man had a pole and I thought he was fishing in the frozen canal, but no he had a magnate hanging off the pole and he was collecting coins thrown near the bridge. Finished having Russian food in a cafe near the apartment did the job and was quite cheap.

It does not get light until 09:30, we headed by foot to The Hermitage and Winter Palace. There were 2 long queues and about 45 minutes later we got into this amazing building and it was a free day to enter, hence the long queues. The history of Catherine the Great and her love of art has made this place a place to visit. The place is so vast and the rooms spectacular and some totally awe inspiring.

Moved over the big square to the General Staff Building a magnificent building again free entry for the day. Was interesting but did not have the wow factor as the Hermitage and Winter Palace.

Went to Moscow train station a 30 minute walk, as yesterday 2 numpty female train ticket people gave me the wrong train tickets from Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk a 50 hour train journey. I had it typed out in Russian requesting 1st class sleeper for the two of us and they gave us 3rd class sleeper. I queried this with them and they assured me 1st class. I checked online and the tickets were 3rd class. Got them changed and paid the difference. Thank you to the ladies at Moscow station. We bought a Russian doll with 4 dolls inside they vary in price the quality and where you buy them from.

Took the metro over to Rabbit Island the longest decent on an escalator I have every experienced some lovely architecture. At Rabbit island we went and saw Peter and Paul Cathedral this is where the last of the Romanov’s were re-interred in 1998. Then checked out the prison where the Bolshevik’s spent time, not a nice place to be. The Commandants House  and then on to the Torture Museum some nasty shit went on in there.

Move on to the Church of Spilled Blood absolutely amazing inside as all the art work is mosaic, it looks like it has been painted.

Penny had a big sleep in the bed was so comfortable, she needed it and we left the beautiful apartment at midday. Went to the church of Spilled Blood and Rabbit Island the burial place of Czar Nicholas the 2nd and his family were re-interred in 1997. Unfortunately both places closed on Wednesday will try tomorrow. Walked to one of the numerous train stations and booked our train tickets from Perm to Yekaterinburg and Yekaterinburg to Irkutsk. Then walked back to the apartment a total of 10 miles some lovely architecture and lots of frozen water ways. Went on board the Russian cruiser Aurora was interesting but we only saw a small part of below decks.

Up early left the hotel at 07:45 and hour drive to Leningrad Railway station. The train tickets all in Russian takes a while to figure out the carriage and seat numbers, but we got there. I am carrying too much gear worse than a sheila. Have 2 flights in China and it is only 20 kg checked in and 5 kg carry on. Will sort that out nearer the time.

The trip took just under 5 hours and the top speed was 243 km and the distance was 634 km or 394 miles. Past a frozen lake and there about a 100 people I saw fishing through drilled ice holes in the lake. Saw a lot of wooden houses grouped together “dachas” in the middle of nowhere.

Arrived at our apartment really lovely 2 bedrooms fully equipped washing done and drying out. Snowing and raining 0 C temperature much warmer than Moscow. Mini supermarkets close by bought some food & pork chops and they were the best I have ever had. 

Our last full day in Moscow off to St Petersburg tomorrow morning by train. Discovered a Russian entertainment center close to the hotel which was not mentioned to us by the hotel. A lot of it was closed but we went to the Vodka museum and the church and there were the market stalls prices cheaper than in town. Metro into Revolution Square and explored new areas found a food hall 3 levels below ground some good food places, Penny found a Vietnamese outlet and the food was excellent.

Then we walked Tverskoy Boulevard been used in a lot of films and then the lights came on a great visual site. Back to the hotel and it was -10 C. Get packed for tomorrow’s trip to St Petersburg.